Do you love to be creative, but want to take your creativity to a whole new level? Do you
feel overwhelmed by your work and find that your natural creative abilities and talents are
untapped? If so, you need to learn how to tap into your creativity whenever you want or
need to. When you allow creative thinking to flow, you will find that you can
enhance your natural abilities and accomplish more in less time.

Creative Thinking Begets Creativity

Creativity allows you to become who you want to be. If you cannot release your creativity,
you may feel your professional growth stunted, or you may not be able to think as clearly as you would like to. Many of people don't realize the importance of creativity until they are
taught to tap into it through creative thinking.

Are you wondering how you can get started with creative thinking? You can begin with
simple exercises like going through magazines and cutting out random images. You then
can glue them all to a paper or a board without thinking about it just let your creative juices
flow! Finally, step back and see what your mind has created. You may be impressed and
surprised with yourself. This surely will help you tap into your creative energy.

Listen to Something New

Another way to jump-start your creative thinking is by listening to music. Put on an album
that you are unfamiliar with or borrow a friend's CD. When you listen to something that
you have never experienced before, you may find that you are changing your
definitions of creativity and are lighting your creative fire at the same time.

Get Creative By Getting Your Groove On

Dance! Creative thinking often starts with an active body. Put on a CD or go out to a jazz
club. Try a dance class, or enjoy the movement of your body in your own living room.
Whatever it is, do something to get up and get going! You will be surprised at how creative
you'll feel afterwards. You may feel inspired and ready to tackle new and exciting projects.
Or perhaps you'll find that your workload isn't as daunting as it first appeared. After all,
you'll be relaxing while having fun!

Write Your Heart Out

Another option is to set your timer for 15 minutes. From the minute you press start, you
should write freely. Write whatever comes to mind without thinking about it or planning.
Then step back and see the creativity that flowed from your mind to your hand, and then to
your pen and onto the paper.

Yet another awesome way to boost creative thinking is through affirmations. These positive
statements can help you remember what it is to be creative and how wondrous it feels when creativity flows through you. You can create a list of affirmations for yourself such as, "I feel an intense flame of passion for things that interest me," that can help you tap into the
creative person that you are, even as you deal with everyday stresses.

​Creativity is the ability to make something new or to develop new ideas. Developing more creativity can benefit your career, relationships, and hobbies. Children love to be creative, but many adults have less motivation to create. There are also many obstacles to creativity.

Stack the deck in your favor by dealing intelligently with most the common barriers to creativity:

1. Fear of ridicule. As they say, nothing ventured, nothing gained. No matter what you do, someone will provide criticism. Learn to ignore the naysayers and let your creativity shine.

2. Fear of failure. It can be the fear of losing money or valuable time. Or it can be a simple fear of failure. You’re tough enough to handle it. You’ve already failed thousands of times in one way or another and you’ve survived. What would happen if you did fail?

3. Interruptions. Time and space energize creativity. It’s more challenging to come up with a brilliant idea if your kids are calling your name or your phone is chirping at you every 30 seconds. Schedule your creative time to minimize as many interruptions as possible. Early in the morning and later in the evening can be the best options for many.

4. Distractions. A distraction is an interruption you give yourself. How do you commonly waste time? Remove those distractions from your immediate environment. Put your cell phone on mute and throw it in the drawer. Turn off 1 the TV. Focus 100% on your creative activity. Distractions are controllable. Have the self-discipline to control them.

5. Past experiences. Your past affects your current thinking and beliefs. Attempt to open your mind to all the possibilities. Just because something didn’t work once in the past doesn’t mean it can’t work today. Let go of the past and free your creativity.

6. Stopping too soon. Once a good idea is found, it’s common to stop looking for a better solution. Are you sure you’ve chosen the right color for your painting? The right word for your novel? The right idea to make $10 million? Once you’ve found a good idea, keep looking for an even better one.

7.  Stress. Stress and creativity rarely go hand in hand. Whether it’s the stress of being tired, running out of time, financial issues, or illness, creativity is more challenging than when you’re relaxed. Find time to relax and decompress before starting a session of creativity. Your results will be enhanced.

8. Negative moods. It’s not just stress. Anger, jealousy, fear, impatience, sadness, or hopelessness can also be barriers to creativity. Studies have shown that creativity tends to peak while experiencing strong, positive moods. Do whatever is necessary to boost your mood before accessing your creativity. Take a walk, call a good friend, or listen to uplifting music. What makes you feel better when you’re in a bad mood?

9. Too many options. It can actually be easier to find your creative streak if you limit your choices. Try to make a painting with only three colors. Write a short story with only 300 words. Or compose a song with only a few chords. Having too many choices can be a challenge in itself. Try limiting your options if you’re stuck.

If you can’t get your creative juices flowing, maybe something is in your way. Your creativity is a significant part of your uniqueness. Avoid the common obstacles to creativity and show the world what you have to offer. To really boost your creativity, try using it regularly. And start today!

In such a fast-moving world, it's so important to stay on the cutting edge. Your creative ideas of yesteryear probably have very little impact on today's innovative age. With that said, you've likely realized the importance of finding inspiration for innovation.

Your inspiration may change over time, but at least finding it is a start. Some inspiring things and people may be right in front of you. But others, like the ones here, may take a little digging to find their value to your plan for innovation.

Seek inspiration in these areas:

1.  Historical figures with success stories. Much of the world as you know it today is because of contributions from historical figures. Many of them took bold steps that didn’t necessarily pay off. But their perseverance and creativity allowed them to become world-changers.

• Spend some time researching these world-changers. Understand their beginnings, inspirations, challenges, and turning points. You may find some similarities between you and one of them.
• Use those similarities to drive your own inspirations. Relate what you learned to modern day nuances and you can push the envelope of innovation.

2.  Inventions before their time. You've likely heard the phrase, "think outside the box" before. However, this is probably the first time you'll be applying it to your 1 plan for innovation.

• Some of the greatest inventors introduced concepts before the world was even ready for them. These inventions can serve as inspirations for you.
• Are there ideas in your bedside journal that you felt were too silly to share with anyone? Remember that once your innovation is fascinating enough, it can appeal to others. It can convince them that it's actually something they want.

3.   Nature. Look through your window and you'll see nature all around you. It's beautiful and intricate. Things that are so specially made are often great sources of inspiration.

• Look at the colors, shapes and behaviors of nature. Whether plants, animals, or seasons, their uniqueness inspires interest from science and novices alike. Many innovations that stand out take inspiration from elements of nature.
• Consider how they were created. You may not have all the answers, but that's okay. What it teaches you is that complexity breeds creativity!

4.   People who are overcoming trying obstacles. Their challenges are incomparable and difficult. Yet, they continue to push through with the aim of finding clear skies at the end of the road. If you can lay your eyes on someone like that, you'll likely get all the inspiration you need!

• How do they keep moving forward? Are there special strategies they employ? When things seem impossible, the people who create a new path are the ones that change the face of the future.
• What you'll realize is that bumps in the road don’t push you one step back. If you really want the prize, those bumps can push you one step further. That drive to succeed creates a spirit of fearlessness and boldness. That's what you need to be innovative!

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These sources can provide the inspiration you need to be creative. Take a different approach. That's a surefire way to stand out from everyone else. You can expect great results when you elevate the thought process for innovation.